


If "I Love You"s Were Stars, Baby, We Could Make a Universe

by swagnushammersmith



Series: 50,000 Words [1]
Category: The Martian - All Media Types, The Martian - Andy Weir
Genre: 5+1 Things, A little taste of Beth Johanssen/Mindy Park, Dorks, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mark is a sap, Marriage Proposal, NaNoWriMo, Periscope, Social Media, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Unbeta'd, Vow renewal, Weddings, but we love him anyways, hearts on sleeves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 20:36:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8462119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swagnushammersmith/pseuds/swagnushammersmith
Summary: Or "Five Times Mark Watney Told Chris Beck He Loved Him. And the One Where Chris Shows Mark Just How Much He Loves Him Back."
Part of a lineup of stories written for NaNoWriMo.





	

-1-

 

“Are we live?”

 

Mark held his phone at arm's’ length away from his face. He and Chris gave twin looks of comic suspicion into the phone’s camera. Little hearts fluttered across the phone screen, along with comments of praise for Mark.

 

“I think we’re live,” Chris said.

 

“Oh good,” Mark said. “I have never in my life used Periscope, so forgive me if there’s any glitches along the way. Just tweet any complaints regarding technical issues to @ares3beck, and we’ll respond within three to five business days.”

 

“It’s your broadcast, ass. Field your own damn complaints.”

 

Mark gasped at Chris, topping his gesture off with a look of the utmost scandal. “Language, mister!”

 

“Fuck off, Watney.”

 

“ANYWAYS, so everyone welcome to my Periscope stream! I’m Mark Watney and I’m doing this as a kind of Q&A thing…” 

 

Chris let himself tune out from Mark’s words, instead focusing on emails on his phone.

 

The Ares3 crew landed back on Earth a few weeks ago, and were now spending their first night in a lavish hotel outside of, away from, and sponsored by NASA. The weeks they spent back with NASA were reserved for physical and psychological evaluation, especially for Mark. The first few days adjusting to the gravity were intense. Embarrassing too, considering the number of utensils and coffee mugs that were dropped on the floor because everyone forgot that gravity was a more constant force on earth than it was in space.

 

And here they were now; Chris and Mark cozied up in their hotel room. Chris suggested that they just take it easy when they made it to their room, but Mark insisted that he do this Periscope stream, joking that he abandoned his social media duties. “I’m sure everyone in the world understands why you did,” Chris deadpanned, but Mark insisted, continuing to joke that he should start the stream in the vein of a YouTube personality who hasn’t posted in awhile. 

 

“He’s not even paying attention anymore, he’s looking at his phone,” Mark laughed, and Chris’ ears perked up at the mention of his name. 

 

“What’s going on?” he asked.

 

“@beckisbae wants you to say hi to her. Or him. Pretty sure it’s a her though.”

 

Chris waved into Mark’s phone camera. “Hi there! Don’t do drugs. This is a message from your local astronaut doctor.” The comments and hearts exponentiated in volume on the screen. 

 

“God, remember being a kid, and your parents saying that you could be whatever you wanted to be, and then as a kid you’d say something ridiculous like ‘astronaut doctor,’ but here you are, a real like actual astronaut doctor?”

 

“I think when I was a kid I wanted to be a wrestler slash dinosaur.”

 

“Oh my god that is the cutest thing. Oh here’s one: @watneypleaserockme asked if I was single. Let me check and ask my boyfriend.” Mark turned to Chris. “Am I single, Chris?”

 

“There’s nothing in my medical notes about it, so I can only assume no.”

 

Mark gave a disapproving look. “Really? Medical notes? I know you can be funnier than that.”

 

“Dammit, Mark, I’m an astronaut doctor, not a comedian!” Chris laughed. “Comedy’s better left to Martinez.”

 

“You’re lucky I love you,” Mark said, nuzzling his forehead against Chris’.

 

“You’re alright yourself,” Chris muttered affectionately. “I think I’ll keep you around for another week or two.” He smiled, leaning into give Mark a gentle kiss.

 

Needless to say, both Mark’s and Chris’ Twitter notifications exploded with mentions.

 

\--2--

 

“Hey Chris?” Mark said with a drawn out, appealing tone. “Have I ever told you that I love you lately?”

 

“If you wanted fries, Mark, you should have ordered them yourself,” Chris deadpanned.

 

“I just want one!” Mark fake-whined.

 

“Eat your damn quesadilla, Mark.”

 

The Ares3 crew were joined by their families in the showroom portion of a Chili’s restaurant for lunch. They were encouraged to “pig out” in the words of Annie Montrose, as NASA was footing the bill.

 

“You’d think that your boy would be sick of potatoes by now,” Rick commented, earning a fond head shake from his wife.

 

“Listen,” Mark said, pointing his finger accusingly at Rick, “Both you and I owe it to every potato out there right now. I’d have to be downright ungrateful if I didn’t eat them every now and again.”

 

“And yet you managed to not order a small side of fries,” Chris said before taking a bite into his steak. 

 

“You seeing this? You see how he treats me?” Mark fake-whined to his parents. Chris just smiled and shook his head.

 

At that moment, Melissa’s husband Robert stood at the head of the table. “I thought I could, uh, take this moment to say a few words.” Chris and Mark looked up, distracted from their play fight. “It’s so great to have you all here in one piece, and most importantly, alive.” Everyone chuckled. “Especially for me, I’m glad that Melissa is with me again.” Mark tried to silently sneak a fry from Chris’ plate as Robert continued to speak, but failed as Chris slapped his hand away. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to go about that mission any other way, but when I got the news that you’d be spending another year and a half in space, it broke my heart.” A heartfelt “awww” swept over the table. “And then I realized that I’ve taken our time together for granted. 

 

“You’re amazing at what you do, Melissa. You’re a strong leader and an incredible wife. I love you, and that’s why,” Robert continued as he dropped to one knee, “I want to renew our vows. Will you marry me, again?”

 

Tears of joy flooded Melissa’s eyes and she nodded her head furiously and pulled her husband up to hug him. Everyone at the table applauded the couple, inspired by Robert’s words.

 

“Oh my god,” Melissa said, pulling away and wiping her tears. “I’m not gonna be able to eat I’m crying so much!” Robert pulled her back into him and kissed her forehead.

 

If Chris could ever remember a time he saw his commander so emotional ( _including_ when they all thought Mark was dead), he couldn’t think of it at that moment. He looked over at Mark and smiled.

 

While everyone was surely inspired by Robert’s words, a new kind of inspiration hit Chris. He kept it to himself for the moment, and returned to his steak.

 

\---3---

 

Mark groaned with pleasure as Chris ground his hips against him.

 

They were home now. Not just on earth, but a shared place in Connecticut that they could call their own. When they first moved in, Mark joked that so long as he was with Chris, he was home. Chris just called him a sap and kissed him on the forehead.

 

Every time that Chris thrusted against him was reminder to Mark, a clear assertion, that everything was theirs now. The friction and heat that they created, the bed in their room in their home, and even god forsaken sides of fries. Everything was theirs.

 

“Oh Chris,” Mark panted. “Chris, I--”

 

Chris didn’t say anything, just moved to kiss Mark down up his neck and down his jawline as he intensified his thrusts. Mark clawed at whatever part of Chris his hands could find. They managed to settle on grabbing his thighs, encouraging Chris to move harder, faster.

 

He threw his head back, gasping as his orgasm took over. Chris, satisfied with his work, moved to kiss Mark on the lips as he came down from his pleasure. Gasps settled into whimpers, and thrusts settled into stillness.

 

“I love you,” Mark murmured against Chris’ lips.

 

\----4----

 

The vow renewal was a beautiful, yet modest affair.

 

Robert and Melissa made an innovative move with the event, switching their bridal court so that she had groomsmen and he had bridesmaids. Melissa insisted Mark be her Best Man. A few rounds of refusal on Mark’s part brought out the commander in her.

 

“Mark, I would not have it any other way,” she said. “Be my Best Man. I can think of no one else better for the job.”

 

“Okay, Commander,” he said. “I’ll take this gig.”

 

Which meant that he had to write a speech. For the weeks before the vow renewal, his nerves were rattled. On Mars, he could monologue to himself and the potato crops all the livelong day, because no one could judge him for it, and the more he talked, the more the potatoes thrived. But here? On Earth? In front of actual people? It was a more intimidating situation, and yes he was taking into account all the of times he nearly quite literally died.

 

“You’ll do fine,” Chris assured him the night before the wedding. 

 

“That’s what they always say in horror movies right before things turn out the opposite of fine,” Mark said, not turning from his speech.

 

“The speech is going to be spectacular, Mark, now come to bed please?”

 

“I can’t, there’s… there’s something _missing_.” Mark threw an intimidating glare at the speech, as if by doing so it would magically tell him just exactly what.

 

“Mark, please?” Chris came up behind Mark now, rubbing his sides gently, hoping to ease at least a little of the tension away. “It’s a big day tomorrow, and you’re gonna need to be well rested.”

 

Mark leaned his head back, looking at Chris now. At least he took his eyes off that damn paper. “Why do you sound so doctorly?”

 

Chris chuckled. “Perhaps maybe because I _am_ a doctor?”

 

“I don’t believe you, I demand to see your credentials,” Mark joked, leaning more into Chris. “Have you even seen the inside of a hospital in your life?”

 

Chris nuzzled his forehead against Mark’s. “Come to bed, please?” he asked.

 

“So that’s a no then?” Mark asked. “You’re not a real doctor?” Chris lightly slapped him on the shoulder. “Okay fine, you win. I’ll go to bed. But if anything goes wrong with this speech tomorrow I know where you sleep.”

 

And here everyone was, the reception was in full swing. Whispers travelled down the bridal party’s table to have speeches ready.

 

Mark took a deep breath. This moment took him back to high school where his teachers would always say that if the homework wasn’t finished, that he would just have to turn in whatever work he did complete. He reached into his jacket to grab his speech.

 

Except-- he found nothing in his jacket.

 

Oh no. 

 

Mark was in panic mode. He frantically tried to think if he possibly dropped the speech somewhere, or left it with someone and forgot about it or if--

 

Shit. His speech was still in his hotel room. He remembered picking it up, but then Chris asked for help with his tie so he set it back on the desk.

 

Shitshitshit.

 

All memory of what he had written conveniently escaped his memory.

 

Leave it to Mark Watney to write a near-perfect speech only to forget it in more than one sense of the word. Poor Mark was left with no choice but to wing it, as his was one of the first speeches to be delivered.

 

During the first few speeches, Mark tuned everything out for the purpose of psyching himself the fuck up. This was his speech for his commander, he could not afford to disappoint.

 

And then it was his turn. Mark gulped as he stood up. “Good evening, everyone,” he started, nervous. “So, fun fact, in true Mark Watney fashion, I had a beautiful speech lined up for the reception, and I forgot it at my hotel.” 

 

While everyone laughed, he could spot both Chris and Melissa facepalming within his periphery. 

 

“Thankfully,” he continued, “this is a mistake that won’t cost me my life. Which, I couldn’t afford to have too many mistakes back on Mars. And…” Mark paused a moment, pressing his palms together. “I’ve stressed so much that all that unfortunate stuff happened on Mars because of terrible circumstances, not because Melissa Lewis is a terrible commander. Because she isn’t. What matters is that with her leadership and sacrifice and amazing crew,” Smiles were shared amongst the members of the Ares3, “she managed to bring me back. 

 

“I am so thankful to have had Melissa Lewis as a commander. I have a newfound appreciation for the life that I have. If it weren’t for her,” Mark turned and smiled at Chris, “I wouldn’t be here with a man I love so dearly. Oh, and--” he paused again, hesitating. “If it weren’t for Lewis, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to admit that I have grown to like ABBA.”

 

Everyone laughed once more, Lewis laughing the loudest and clapping her hands.

 

“Robert and Melissa, congratulations to an already beautiful, successful marriage, and may you continue to build on a wonderful foundation that you have set. Hear, hear!”

 

\-----5-----

 

“Oh my god, Chris, are you serious?” Beth asked. She and Chris were on the way back home from a Magic: the Gathering Tournament, Chris driving and Beth in the passenger’s side.

 

“It’s now or never, Beth,” he said. “Besides, I saw how you were looking at Mindy Park at Lewis’ vow renewal, you could totally ask her to be your date.”

 

“Oh shut up!” Beth rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hide her blush.

 

“Little Beth’s got a huge crush!” Chris teased.

 

“Whatever, eyes on the road, buddy.”

 

Chris’ phone rang in that moment. He answered it through the bluetooth capability in his car, putting it on speaker. “Hey Mark, what’s up?”

 

“Making dinner,” Mark answered. “Are you on your way home, yet?”

 

“Yeah, Beth’s here with me. Say hi, you’re on speaker!’

 

“Hey nerd!”

 

“Back at ya, nerd!” Beth said.

 

“Did you get fucking obliterated?”

 

“I got third place! I would have had a chance for first if the asshole didn’t lightning strike me when I had my lineup of creatures ready to fucking wreck him!”

 

“Condolences,” Mark replied flatly. Beth just stuck her tongue out even if she knew that he couldn’t see her. “Hey Chris, could you pick up some milk while you’re on the way home? I forgot that we were out before breaking out the pasta.”

 

“Yeah sure, no problem!” Chris said, making a turn.

 

“Thanks! I love you!”

 

“You too, I’ll see you soon.” And then Mark hung up.

 

“You two are so cute it disgusts me,” Beth said. Chris only chuckled in response. “Lemme know when you’re gonna do it, though, because I wanna make a bet against Rick and Alex.”

 

\------+1------

 

Everything was in place. The table was set, the lights were dimmed, and the bouquet was perfectly arranged. All Chris needed was for Mark to arrive home from the botanical garden.

 

He knew that there was nothing to worry about, but still, Chris couldn’t help but feel nervous. This was something that was a long time coming, and he was bursting at the seams. He forced himself to take a deep breath when he heard the door open. It was now or never.

 

“I’ve made my return!” Mark announced. His footsteps eagerly bounced to the dining room, where Chris was waiting for him. “Hey, you.”

 

“Hey, yourself,” Chris muttered. He stood up and greeted Mark with a kiss. 

 

“Mmmmm, what’s all this?” Mark asked, eager. He brought his hands up to Chris’ face to draw him into another kiss.

 

“I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking,” Chris started, gripping nervously at the bouquet in his hand.

 

“Dangerous pastime.” 

 

Chris chuckled. “Seriously, though.” He took another deep breath. “It’s… it’s been awhile since we’ve come home. And in that time, we’ve--” Chris choked up and sniffled, “we’ve really made something for ourselves here.” Mark gently wiped the tears from his boyfriend’s face with his thumbs. “And I’ve never been so happy in my life.

 

“Mark, I-- I love you. I love you so much.” Mark took that moment to give him a gentle kiss, and Chris smiled. “I was so inspired seeing Lewis at her vow renewal, and I realized that I wanted what she had and how much I want it _with you_.”

 

Mark let out a gentle gasp. Was he--?

 

“We only have one life, and I want to share it with you, Mark. I want to share everything.” And then Chris stepped back, and dropped on one knee. “Please do me the honor of being my husband.” He held up the bouquet now, a beautiful arrangement of white roses with pink carnations, all surrounding a singular red rose. It was held together by a red ribbon, strung through a glistening silver ring.

 

“Chris--” and now Mark was crying. He knelt down and pulled Chris into a tight embrace.

 

“So, is that a ‘yes?’” Chris asked. 

 

Mark pulled away. “I mean, you technically didn’t _ask_ …”

 

“Will you marry me, smartass?” And the dining room was filled with their laughter.

 

“Yes I will, asshole.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy NaNo dot hell month.
> 
> This was actually Day 2's story, but Day 1 is still in beta. 
> 
> Enjoy, y'all!
> 
> [ Screech at me on Tumblr, I'll screech back within three to five business days. ](http://blackmetalbuckybarnes.tumblr.com)


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